


Hawkeye's Winter Romance (page 9 of US Weekly)

by icywind



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Oblivious Clint Barton, Pining, Smooth Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-23 02:50:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13778094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icywind/pseuds/icywind
Summary: The Avengers are in DC to celebrate the opening of an exhibition on super heroes, and while Clint loves a party he needs a little time to himself when he thinks his crush on Bucky is all for naught.Bucky sets him right.





	Hawkeye's Winter Romance (page 9 of US Weekly)

 

 

Clint had to admit the view was one of the better ones in the District. Well – legal views anyway (he'd lost count of the number of perches he'd taken up throughout Washington DC during his career as a Shield agent and a mercenary before it – but he could recall a few of them had been pretty sweet when it came to the view). Plus, dinner and drinks on the terrace at the Newseum beat being stuck in a perch any day. Even if it left him feeling a little bittersweet. 

Super Heroes – A Ten Year Love Affair

the signage all over proudly proclaimed.

The exhibit itself was very well put together at least. Well. Clint wasn't an expert at museums, he'd still never been to most of the Smithsonians, but he'd enjoyed his walk through of it. Which was a little surprising considering his initial reactions to some of the headlines and stories that were being shown here (a museum for news – he'd seen everything). Still the people working on the exhibit did their best to put things into context, explaining and giving facts that contradicted some of the more sensationalized headlines. All in all it was...good.

He might had made a few jokes about only being there for the food (jokes that went along with the ones he made about being America's Sixth Favorite Avenger). And, well, even if that had mostly turned out to be true - not too many people sought him out for a reaction, he wasn't involved in a larger percentage of the headlines or items on exhibit - the food was pretty damn stellar.

Of course even with everything going on inside - the additional food, more booze, the dancing – Clint was out on the terrace as soon as he'd deemed it okay to make an escape from the crowd. That his presence wouldn't be missed. 

He had been enjoying the dancing, for a little while anyway, but that had lasted about as long as it took for Natasha and Bucky to take to the dance floor. It was really fucking stupid, but man was he jealous. And who he was jealous of actually made him feel worse than just straight up jealousy would have, because it was _Natasha_ he was jealous of. 

Natasha – the closest thing he had to family. He wanted nothing more than for her to be happy. And she looked so very happy, tearing up the floor with the guy Clint really wanted to be dancing with. Well. Dancing, kissing, spending time with – hell he'd take what he could get with Bucky. 

But that really was his MO in any relationship, wasn't it? Take whatever he could get for however long he could get it and then lick his wounds when his partner inevitably found someone better.

And really, who was better than Natasha? No one. Certainly not a dumb carnie from Iowa with better than average aim. She and Bucky had a shared background – who else could understand what it was like being brainwashed and trained into a killing machine by a creepy covert Soviet program? All those jagged little edges they each had from those experiences couldn't help but smooth out when they were together. They understood each other. He should be happy they had each other.

And, frankly, they looked absolutely amazing together. Nat's red hair and pale skin and Bucky's dark hair and dark good looks complimented each other perfectly. And they moved with an easy grace, like they'd been together for years. They were lovely to watch.

It made Clint feel like he was being punched in the gut.

So he'd made his way out onto the terrace to nurse the rest of the beer he'd half forgotten about when the sharp pangs of regret had come to call. Sadly that beer didn't seem to last all that long, because once he was outside he realized how thirsty he was and he finished it entirely too early for his liking.

He'd have to go back in for more. Why they had roving waiters with canapes but not roving waiters with bottles of beer (he supposed he would take champagne in a pinch but even that was a no-go) was really an oversight on the part of the event planner.

Clint slipped inside and headed for the bar, somehow avoiding interacting with anyone he knew. It probably helped that Steve was schmoozing in one of the lower floors, and Wanda was busy enjoying herself with Vision, and Pietro was busy being Sam's wingman (which...Clint wasn't sure how much help he'd be with the way he seemed to be laughing at Sam more than assisting him). With a wink and a large tip he managed to snag himself another two bottles of beer that he tucked into his pockets as he made his way back out to the terrace and over to a more secluded corner of it. 

From there it was frankly entirely too easy work to climb up the side of the building to gain access to the rooftop terrace again. Sure, he could have made his way back up by more conventional means but then he'd actually have to explain himself. And it wasn't like the security here didn't know something like this was a possibility – they'd been briefed on any number of odd quirks for each member of the team and how if they picked them up on camera trying to get a little time away to just let it be. 

Clint ambled over towards the Canadian embassy side of the building, offering a nod to where he could make out a member of their security team on their roof. They didn't nod back, but then again, they actually were at work and probably didn't want to draw attention to themselves. With a gusty sigh Clint breathed deeply of the late May air, warm but not muggy like it could get in the summer in DC. The Capital shone brightly in the night, Freedom atop the dome standing firm with her back towards the Mall. 

He could make out the Castle and the Washington Monument and, in the distance, the Lincoln Memorial. Maybe it was the melancholy, but he wasn't sure he'd ever truly noticed how pretty DC could be. 

Settling against the railing, he popped the lid off one beer after placing the other on the floor next to him, and without a second glance tossed said lid into a garbage on one of the floors below him.

“Nice shot,” Bucky said from behind him. Clint didn't startle, but it was a near thing and he nodded his acquiescence when Bucky wordlessly asked if he could join him. 

“So – wallflowering it up huh? That's not like you.” Bucky said after they'd been standing in what was a comfortable silence (really comfortable – why'd Bucky have to go and ruin it by pointing that out?) “Something up? 

“Lamenting my lack of press? Clint said, only it came out more of a question and it didn't fool Bucky in the slightest. 

“Care to try again?” Bucky raised a brow at him.

“Do I really need a reason to be avoiding crowds? You know how awkward shit like this can make me feel.” That was closer to the truth and seemed to appease Bucky.

“You belong just as much as everyone else you know. You've been a part of this crazy team from the beginning – which you also know. Hell, if I remember my homework correctly, weren't you and Nat the entire reason Fury thought a team like the Avengers could even happen? Before Stark and his suits even?”

“Thanks but – don't need the pep-talk Buck. Just a little breather.” It was nice – comforting – how Bucky wanted to make him feel better. He was a good friend. It was just Clint's foolishness that had him wanting more than that. 

“You're welcome,” Bucky nodded at him. He didn't leave however, just settled himself in against the railing next to Clint. “View's gorgeous from here,” he said and he was looking at Clint which meant he was probably appreciating how amazing the Capital dome looked all lit up at night. 

“It's not half bad,” Clint said, nodding towards the rest of the Mall and Bucky's face switched between several micro expressions in quick succession before he settled on a secretive looking smile and...fondness maybe? It was kinda hard to tell.

“You know – I could have sworn you promised me a dance at some point in the lead up to this. Something about how awesome a dancer you are and how I'd not lived until I'd danced with you.”

“I mean, I wouldn't go that far with the trash talking,” Clint said and Bucky raised a brow, “Okay trash talking about dance,” he amended and Bucky's brow went back to normal. And really? He had partially been joking when he'd been teasing about dancing with Bucky and partially been nursing that stupid silly crush of his and thinking maybe, just maybe, he might have had a chance with him.

“C'mon Barton – dance with me.” Bucky took a step back and held his hand out. 

“Y'know I don't know...”

“There isn't anyone around to see you look like a fool if you really can't dance,” Bucky eyes held a challenge and Clint pressed his lips into a line because oh hell no, he wasn't going to be talked to like that.

“I'm leading,” Bucky said as Clint gave him his hand and “In the Mood” began piping over the sound system.

And Clint was a pretty good dancer, he had rhythm despite being a Midwesterner (an area known for square dancing and line dancing and polka), thanks. But there was no chance he was ever going to keep up with someone like Bucky. Not dancing to a song from his time anyway. And okay, maybe part of it was him getting distracted by Bucky's hips...

“Not too bad,” Bucky told him with a laugh when the song finished and they returned to the beers they left by the railing. 

“I mean, I wasn't trained for it like Nat but thanks,” and it was all Clint could do not to wince when he brought her name up. Something showed on his face or in his tone however because Bucky narrowed his eyes at him for a second but mercifully didn't say anything while they nursed their beers through the following song.

“One more for me?” Bucky said when the piano refrain of “Unforgettable” drifted on the breeze up to them.

“Really?” Dancing with Bucky once was bad enough, but twice? And a slow dance this time? 

“I love this song,” Bucky replied. “ _Unforgettable, that's what you are_ ,” he sang along softly and Clint complied, allowing himself to be pulled in close. A little too close for a dance between friends or was that his imagination?

“ _How the thought of you does things to me_ ,” Bucky sang along softly again and Clint felt his ears go warm even though he knew it was just because Bucky liked the song that had him singing along to it. That he couldn't possible have feelings for Clint, let alone be singing to him. 

Clint's heart didn't agree however, and sped up. Stupid foolish hope. Man...if this kept up Bucky would know something was up with Clint. Luckily, albeit also disappointingly, Bucky didn't sing any additional lines of the song, though he did break into a hum here and there.

“Natasha said you were oblivious but I didn't want to believe her,” Bucky said a moment later as they still swayed together while the song ended and another one, of a completely different tempo began. “You're usually so good at picking up on stuff and spotting things everyone else misses that I just couldn't reconcile the two images of you. But man – she wasn't kidding.”

Clint stopped shuffling and stood still, Bucky still had his arms around him but Clint's fell to his sides. He was a little surprised Bucky would be so cruel about turning down his crush, but then again this was his life and-and-and Bucky's lips were pressing against his own...

His mind stuttered to a halt and his body went stock still for an instant before it at least got with the program and began to return the kiss. His mind, meanwhile, was fairly screaming at him because Bucky was kissing him. BUCKY WAS KISSING HIM.

“You-you kissed me,” Clint said dumbly when they pulled apart.

“Well spotted Hawkeye,” Bucky's lips curled into a smile. Like a cat that caught the canary.

“Wh-why did-”

“Shhh...enjoy the moment Clint.” Bucky said, placing a finger to his lips. “We're trying to have a moment dear.”

“But kissing.”

“Something someone does when they're into the other person and that person is into them too.”

“But Natasha?”

“Is a good friend to us both, long suffering too. I hear you've been pining.”

“Well I mean you-”

“Have been flirting like mad with you for months,” Bucky said, pressing another kiss to Clint's lips. “I'm kinda gone for you and you didn't even notice.” Bucky had the gall to pout. 

“It's cause you're so very outta my league,” Clint replied, finally getting with the program and kissing the pout off of Bucky's face. 

“Not outta your league at all,” Bucky said between kisses.

“Wait – I didn't fall and hit my head did I?” Clint pulled back and Bucky sighed then chuckled as he glanced skyward for a moment before leveling a _look_ at Clint that had him shrugging. You never knew.

They contenting themselves with swaying back and forth for a while, exchanging the occasional kisses and enjoying the quiet on the roof before eventually rejoining the party, hand in hand. Something not missed by any of their teammates (jerks all of them in Clint's opinion because there was a lot of eye rolling and about times and hadn't anyone been on his side at all? Couldn't someone have clued him in?)

“You never would have believed,” Natasha said simply as she handed Clint back over to Bucky after the two of them had shared a few rounds on the dance floor, communicating through expression and body language. 

The cameras had taken several shots of Black Widow and Hawkeye dancing, it had been a long standing rumor that they were more than work partners so the second they were within a few feet of each other a camera always seemed to pop up; but that was sedate compared to how anyone with a camera went fairly nuts when Clint pulled Bucky out onto the floor – it was almost as if they hadn't seen them holding hands after coming back downstairs...

The headlines the following day in several gossip rags (and a few reputable papers found in front of the Newseum) was finally one about Clint - and he was damn proud of it too. All were variations of the general theme: Hawkeye & the Winter Soldier Out & Proud at Party.

 

 


End file.
